Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Fuel Plant With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.

In a significant military action, Ukrainian forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil processing facility. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military authorities.

Attack Particulars and Strategic Impact

The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk oil plant, was reportedly hit, with "numerous explosions" recorded at the site. This marks another instance where Ukraine has deployed these advanced British-supplied missiles to hit objectives inside Russian territory.

Military spokespersons emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk plant acts as one of the primary suppliers of fuel products in Russia's south and is actively engaged in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.

Diplomatic Developments on the Conflict

Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive discussions with representatives of ex-President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation centered on possible ways to end the war.

“We had a really good conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy stated on a messaging platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it involves formats, meetings, and, certainly, the timeline.”

Judicial Proceedings Inside the Country

Meanwhile, in a domestic matter, a Russian court has found guilty a activist and critic of Vladimir Putin on charges of supporting terrorist activities. Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in prison.

The charges are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov shared in support of another group of activists charged with forming a terrorist group. Udaltsov has denied the allegations as politically motivated and, following the verdict, stated his intention to go on a hunger strike in defiance.

Foreign Prisoner Situation

Russian authorities has stated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar currently serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of spying.

An official said that Russia has made an offer to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated he is closely following the situation, with all state resources mobilised to offer assistance and advocate for his liberation as soon as possible.

Symbolic Reconstruction in Occupied City

The Mariupol Drama Theatre, which was leveled in a 2022 Russian airstrike while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its cellar, is scheduled to reopen. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the reconstruction as a sign of renewal.

Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have denounced the reopening as “a macabre spectacle.” This project is part of a broader Moscow effort to present its rule in seized territories, a process that includes the detention or expulsion of dissenting voices and confiscation of assets from Ukrainian citizens.

It is expected to open by the month's end with a show of a Russian fairytale, having been rebuilt almost from scratch over the past two years.